CFESA Refrigeration Certification Exam
2026/2027 | 200+ Practice Questions,
Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
1. What is the primary purpose of a refrigeration system?
A. Produce heat continuously
B. Remove heat from a space or product
C. Increase atmospheric pressure
D. Generate electricity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Refrigeration works by transferring heat from a lower-temperature area to a higher-
temperature environment.
2. Which component compresses refrigerant vapor?
A. Evaporator
B. Condenser
C. Compressor
D. Expansion valve
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The compressor raises the pressure and temperature of refrigerant vapor and moves
it through the system.
3. What is the primary function of the condenser?
A. Absorb heat from the refrigerated space
B. Reject heat from the refrigerant
C. Meter liquid refrigerant
D. Compress liquid refrigerant
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The condenser rejects heat from the refrigerant to the surrounding air, water, or
another heat-transfer medium.
4. What happens to refrigerant in the evaporator?
A. It absorbs heat
B. It becomes compressed liquid
C. It rejects all heat
D. It becomes atmospheric air
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Refrigerant absorbs heat from the refrigerated space or product while evaporating.
5. Which component controls refrigerant flow into the evaporator in many systems?
A. Compressor
B. Condenser fan
C. Metering device
D. Receiver only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A metering device controls the amount of refrigerant entering the evaporator and
creates the pressure drop required for evaporation.
6. Which sequence represents the basic vapor-compression refrigeration cycle?
A. Compressor → condenser → metering device → evaporator
B. Evaporator → condenser → compressor → receiver
C. Condenser → evaporator → compressor → metering device
D. Metering device → compressor → evaporator → condenser
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Refrigerant normally leaves the evaporator as vapor, enters the compressor,
condenses, passes through the metering device, and returns to the evaporator.
7. What is latent heat?
,A. Heat associated with a change of state
B. Heat caused only by electrical resistance
C. Heat that cannot be transferred
D. Heat produced only by motors
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Latent heat is energy involved in changing a substance from one phase to another
without necessarily changing its temperature during the phase change.
8. What is sensible heat?
A. Heat that changes temperature without a phase change
B. Heat that always changes liquid into vapor
C. Heat stored only in refrigerant oil
D. Heat produced by a compressor motor only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sensible heat changes the temperature of a substance without changing its physical
state.
9. What is superheat?
A. Temperature of a vapor above its saturation temperature
B. Temperature of liquid below freezing
C. Pressure above atmospheric pressure only
D. Temperature of the condenser shell
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Superheat is the amount by which vapor temperature exceeds its saturation
temperature at the measured pressure.
10. What is subcooling?
A. Cooling liquid below its saturation temperature
B. Heating vapor above saturation temperature
C. Increasing compressor pressure
D. Reducing evaporator airflow
, Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Subcooling represents liquid refrigerant being cooled below its saturation
temperature at the relevant pressure.
11. Why is adequate evaporator airflow important in an air-cooled refrigeration system?
A. It allows effective heat transfer
B. It stops all refrigerant flow
C. It increases compressor oil viscosity
D. It eliminates the need for a condenser
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Airflow across the evaporator allows heat to transfer from the refrigerated space to
the refrigerant.
12. What can a dirty evaporator coil cause?
A. Reduced heat transfer and poor cooling
B. Increased cooling capacity in every case
C. Higher water pressure
D. Increased refrigerant purity
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dirt and debris reduce airflow and heat-transfer performance.
13. What can a dirty condenser cause?
A. Higher condensing pressure
B. Lower ambient temperature
C. Improved heat rejection
D. Increased evaporator airflow
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dirt restricts heat transfer from the condenser, potentially causing condensing
pressure and compressor operating temperature to rise.
2026/2027 | 200+ Practice Questions,
Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
1. What is the primary purpose of a refrigeration system?
A. Produce heat continuously
B. Remove heat from a space or product
C. Increase atmospheric pressure
D. Generate electricity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Refrigeration works by transferring heat from a lower-temperature area to a higher-
temperature environment.
2. Which component compresses refrigerant vapor?
A. Evaporator
B. Condenser
C. Compressor
D. Expansion valve
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The compressor raises the pressure and temperature of refrigerant vapor and moves
it through the system.
3. What is the primary function of the condenser?
A. Absorb heat from the refrigerated space
B. Reject heat from the refrigerant
C. Meter liquid refrigerant
D. Compress liquid refrigerant
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The condenser rejects heat from the refrigerant to the surrounding air, water, or
another heat-transfer medium.
4. What happens to refrigerant in the evaporator?
A. It absorbs heat
B. It becomes compressed liquid
C. It rejects all heat
D. It becomes atmospheric air
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Refrigerant absorbs heat from the refrigerated space or product while evaporating.
5. Which component controls refrigerant flow into the evaporator in many systems?
A. Compressor
B. Condenser fan
C. Metering device
D. Receiver only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A metering device controls the amount of refrigerant entering the evaporator and
creates the pressure drop required for evaporation.
6. Which sequence represents the basic vapor-compression refrigeration cycle?
A. Compressor → condenser → metering device → evaporator
B. Evaporator → condenser → compressor → receiver
C. Condenser → evaporator → compressor → metering device
D. Metering device → compressor → evaporator → condenser
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Refrigerant normally leaves the evaporator as vapor, enters the compressor,
condenses, passes through the metering device, and returns to the evaporator.
7. What is latent heat?
,A. Heat associated with a change of state
B. Heat caused only by electrical resistance
C. Heat that cannot be transferred
D. Heat produced only by motors
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Latent heat is energy involved in changing a substance from one phase to another
without necessarily changing its temperature during the phase change.
8. What is sensible heat?
A. Heat that changes temperature without a phase change
B. Heat that always changes liquid into vapor
C. Heat stored only in refrigerant oil
D. Heat produced by a compressor motor only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sensible heat changes the temperature of a substance without changing its physical
state.
9. What is superheat?
A. Temperature of a vapor above its saturation temperature
B. Temperature of liquid below freezing
C. Pressure above atmospheric pressure only
D. Temperature of the condenser shell
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Superheat is the amount by which vapor temperature exceeds its saturation
temperature at the measured pressure.
10. What is subcooling?
A. Cooling liquid below its saturation temperature
B. Heating vapor above saturation temperature
C. Increasing compressor pressure
D. Reducing evaporator airflow
, Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Subcooling represents liquid refrigerant being cooled below its saturation
temperature at the relevant pressure.
11. Why is adequate evaporator airflow important in an air-cooled refrigeration system?
A. It allows effective heat transfer
B. It stops all refrigerant flow
C. It increases compressor oil viscosity
D. It eliminates the need for a condenser
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Airflow across the evaporator allows heat to transfer from the refrigerated space to
the refrigerant.
12. What can a dirty evaporator coil cause?
A. Reduced heat transfer and poor cooling
B. Increased cooling capacity in every case
C. Higher water pressure
D. Increased refrigerant purity
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dirt and debris reduce airflow and heat-transfer performance.
13. What can a dirty condenser cause?
A. Higher condensing pressure
B. Lower ambient temperature
C. Improved heat rejection
D. Increased evaporator airflow
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dirt restricts heat transfer from the condenser, potentially causing condensing
pressure and compressor operating temperature to rise.
